


Torment

by ZZ_Chikorita



Series: Jolly Rogers [36]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions, Pocket Monsters: Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon | Pokemon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Versions
Genre: Boys Kissing, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Coming of Age, Flashbacks, Gen, Guzma is a giant fucking tease even when he's not trying to be, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Making Out, and when he is trying? Whoa mama...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:47:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZZ_Chikorita/pseuds/ZZ_Chikorita
Summary: Here we go again
Relationships: Guzma/Kukui-hakase | Professor Kukui
Series: Jolly Rogers [36]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1680463
Comments: 10
Kudos: 24





	Torment

**Author's Note:**

> Ch. 36

_Don't panic. Don't panic. Just. Don't. Panic!_

This is what Guzma chants in his head for the next few minutes or so.

He can feel a lingering burn as if there's a hot coal pressed to his cheek...

With Leon latched onto him, he can't move, can't flee- or can't 'Emergency Exit' as the champ had so eloquently put it the other day- so he just keeps telling himself to stay calm... keeps telling himself to breathe and not pass out from the anxiety that has built up inside of him.

That is until he realizes that... surprisingly... nothing's really happening.

His breathing is steady. The pounding in his ears has quieted and calmed back to a gentle rhthym as the burning in his face sinks down and settles into his chest and stomach.

The white haired man dropped his hand from where his fingertips were ghosting just over the formerly burning spot on his cheek to clutch at the warmth in the middle of his chest.

_The fuck is this?_

This feeling... it's familiar... but inaccessible. Like trying to recall a distant memory: fuzzy around the edges and just out of focus, but real nonetheless.

He pressed a palm to his eye and groaned softly, trying to make sense of what's going on. Trying to _remember_.

But it's hard.

Especially after so many years of trying to forget...

~~~

"FUCK DIS SHIT!" Guzma spat, throwing his sunglasses into the field of delicate, pink flowers.

Dozens of cutieflys scattered from the area and the boy turned to glare through his long, white bangs at the other kid, who sat atop a large boulder. He looked incredibly bored despite the outlandish display he just witnessed.

"I told ya not to attempt it unless ya were ready," he said plainly as he absently played with one of his Jehri curls.

"What more am I s'pose t'do 'Lani!" Guzma lamented, "Me and my team are plenty strong enough t'beat the Totem! It ain't my fault it won't fuckin' _show up_!"

"It's _entirely_ your fault he won't show up," the other reminded him. He raised a thick brow and calmly added, "How many times I gotta tell ya how this works?"

The pale boy clicked his tongue in annoyance and paced back and forth, not caring one bit how he's trampling the fragile petals and stems beneath his feet. Eventually, he let out an exasperated sigh and slumped down with his back against the large rock; he defeatedly dropped his head into his hands.

Stupid trial! He's been trying to complete it for weeks! Kukui's been pestering him to go and start on Ula' ula together. Guzma just _had_ to go and lie and say he already defeated Akala's grand trial. But, how could he not when Kukui and Mo kept talking about the Fairy trial like it was the easiest one yet!?  
It's not like he _won't_ be able to defeat the kahuna. In fact, he's certain he will! The guy specializes in Psychic types after all.  
Of course, he won't battle Guzma until he's passed all the trials. Rules are rules.

So here he is, once again, sat sulking in Akala meadow... trial thoroughly failed.

He paid little mind as Kalani jumped down to shuffle through the flowers before returning and sitting shoulder to shoulder with him. He only looked up when the boy nudges him in the side.

The darker skinned Alolan held out Guzma's shades to him and said, "Here. You look like an untrimmed furfrou."

Guzma snorted and grabbed them, pushing them up onto the top of his head.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

The boy smiled warmly up at him; no teeth (he never smiles with his teeth) but it was a kind, genuine smile nonetheless.

Guzma sighs.

He doesn't hate the Trial Captain... quite the opposite. The boy has proved extremely patient and understanding throughout this entire ordeal these past couple months.

Guzma had never spoken to him before the first time attempting his trial; Kalani's a grade lower than him and they live on different islands so their paths just never happened to cross much before.  
And, yeah sure, Guzma admits he's perhaps a little bitter that this kid, who's a whole year younger than him, was able to complete the entire island challenge _and_ be awarded a Trial Captain position while he himself has only managed to complete one of four islands.

But he's just a LITTLE bitter...  
Definitely not bitter enough to hate him, at least.

"I know ya don't need me to explain t'ya what went wrong," Kalani said both gently and thoughtfully.

"Yeah..."

After a quiet moment, he asked, "Wanna try one more time? Before it gets too dark?"

"I dunno... it wouldn't be so hard if..." As his voice trailed off, he glanced over to where Kalani's sylveon (humorously nicknamed 'Vin Diesel', if he's remembering correctly) eyes them curiously.

The kid hummed in thought and then stands up, offering a hand to the older boy.

"Walk with me a minute? I wanna show ya somethin'."

Guzma raised his brow but accepted his hand anyways.

They walked together through the meadow, Vin trotting along happily. They tread lightly through the thick sea of bright pink, nectar-rich flowers.

 _They really are pretty..._ he thinks to himself.

Guzma feels a pang of guilt for stomping around earlier like a raging ryhorn.  
He just gets so frustrated.

"I'm obligated to ask if you truly understand the parameters of my trial."

Guzma smirked at that and Kalani attempts to avoid his eyes, his tanned cheeks darkening ever so slightly.

Always so formal, this one... kid needs to lighten up a little. Sure he's a fairly new Trial Captain, but it doesn't mean he's gotta be so nervous about doing his job. Especially not when interacting with someone who's attempted and failed the trial so many times already.  
After all, they've gone through this each time he's failed which is... what? Six times now?

Guzma winced slightly at that thought.

If anything, he thinks the kid deserves to act a little more cocky. That's what he'd do in his position at least.

"Yeah yeah, I understand the parameters or whatevuh."

"Please state them so that I may assess your statement as truth."

Guzma sighs and rolls his eyes.  
"C'mon 'Lani, do we gotta do this every time?"

"I'm obligated to say 'yes'."

"I'm obligated to kick yo ass if ya keep talkin' like dat."

"Wouldja just ansuh te Arc-damn question!"

 _That's better,_ Guzma thought as he took in the flustered expression on the other boy's face.

"A'ight a'ight," he chuckled, reaching over to spring one of the boy's black curls just to irritate him further. He cleared his throat and recalled, "The Fairy type trial is located in Akala Meadow. The totem pokémon is the oldest on the island and is very weary of people. It will only present itself to someone of calm mind and pure heart and blah, blah, Tauros shit, blah, blah-"

"GUZMA!"

The white haired boy laughed and slapped the younger boy on the back.

Kalani huffed and grumbled, "You forgot the part where the Totem doesn't even trust me. Vin is the only one he'll listen to."

"I was gettin' to it!"

"Mmhm," he hummed doubtfully.

They walked a while longer. Guzma watched as Vin crouches down to investigate a sleeping comfey among the flowers. He crept close and the pokémon woke suddenly, causing him to spring back in surprise. The intertwining pokémon landed upside-down with just his back feet and hindquarters sticking up out of the flowers.

Arceus, Guzma hates that thing so much!  
He doesn't want to hate it but he does.  
It fails him over and over and then has the audacity to be _that_ freakin' cute!  
The nerve of it!

"I know Vin is still makin' it difficult for ya," Kalani piped up (making Guzma wonder if he was thinking a little too loud), "but you understand why he does it, right?"

"Yeah" -he rubs his hand along his forearm reflexively- "they can read people with their ribbons. That's how he knows to call the Totem..."

It all sounded simple enough the very first time Kalani explained the trial to him.  
Sit in the meadow... relax... clear his head... let Vin assess his state of mind.

Simple.  
Right?

He failed to realize that sylveon need to wrap their ribbon-like feelers around the person in order to read their mood. So, the first time it grabbed onto both his wrists and arms, he almost instantly went into a panic. His heart beat was like thunder in his ears, black spots danced around his vision, and no matter how hard or fast he breathed he felt like he could never get enough oxygen to his lungs.

Then he blacked out.

When he woke up, it was from a brionne's Water Gun to the face and to the sight of a _very_ frantic, confused, and shaking Trial Captain kneeling over him.

He still feels bad about that... it's bad enough that Kukui and Mo often get dragged into his problems... then he goes and faints on some kid who barely knows him...

It was... embarrassing... to say the very least.

Guzma felt like he owed Kalani some sort of explanation for putting him through that (not to mention D.J.'d give him an earful and double the paperwork if she found out he was bottling up his emotions again) so he told the captain about his dad.  
Not too many details of course. Mostly that the last things he saw before passing out were memories of his old man grabbing his wrists and throwing him against the wall... and the floor... and out the front door onto the concrete pavement-

"You've been doing better though," said Kalani, bringing the taller boy out of his thoughts.

"I took your advice," he commented, reaching up to rub the back of his head, "and have been learning sumo with Kahuna Hala. He showed me some breathing and meditation stuff too..."

"I still think you'd benefit if you'd join our hula kāne troop-"1

"I ain't doin' no hula 'Lani. I ain't coordinated enough for that shit..." He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked away bashfully before murmuring, "I'll look like an idiot."

"Won't know 'til ya try. And besides"-Kalani shrugs and plays with one of his curls- "I'm sure you'd look... really good..."

Guzma's too lost in his thoughts to quite catch the implications of that statement.

'Lani's right though, he's definitely doing better in the trial; rather, he doesn't get a panic attack and pass out any more. However, he can only sit there so long with his arms restricted before unpleasant thoughts start creeping into his head.

Insecurities. Embarassing memories. Straight up existential dread.

And the 'what if's.

_The 'what if's are the worst!_

It's the same problem he gets when trying to fall asleep at night. His mind races around from one thing to the next and he's powerless to stop it, no matter how exhausted he is.  
So he often times lies awake, asking himself a plethora of pointless questions that serve no purpose other than to heighten his anxiety.

What if he forgot an assignment again?  
What if he pushes Wimpod too hard during training?

"Guzma, we're here."

What if he says something stupid and makes Kukui cry?  
What if his dad sees the small bruise hidden just under his collar?

"Guzma?"

What if he can't stop the bleeding before it's too late?

"Guuuuzma..."

What if he doesn't _want_ to stop the bleeding before it's too late?

"Yo G-Money!"

"Huh?"

Kalani smiled softly once he saw Guzma snap back into reality and repeated, "I said we're here- what I wanted to show you."

The boy took in his surroundings. They had stopped at the northeastern end of the meadow and were now standing in front of some very abandoned, very beat up looking construction equipment.

"I know that this trial's difficult for you 'cuz of what ya been through. But I think it might help t'know why exactly my trial is the way it is, nahmein?"

Guzma took some steps forward, making note of where one backhoe had already dredged up the earth. Flowers, long dead and dried sit in the machine's claw. Some trees are knocked down and splintered among the few remaining blooms.  
This part of the meadow feels... lifeless.  
It feels... wrong.

"Kalani... what is this?"

"Didja ever wonder _why_ the Totem is so weary of people?"  
He looked up at Guzma and then back at the destruction.  
"This is why. The Totem has protected the meadow for decades. More than once, they've tried to pave through here, ever since the hurricane hit and the Megamart had to close due to damages. They want to build a new one... and some tacky tourist attraction... I dunno all the details..."

Guzma walked a little more as he listened to Kalani's explanation. His eyes mapped out the various dents and scratches (or, perhaps 'gashes' is a better descriptor) that covered the machinery. One dump truck was even tipped over onto its side; its tires had been slashed.

Whatever pokémon did this was incredibly powerful...  
Or incredibly determined.  
Or both.

"As you can see, the Totem fought back," the boy continued, "Even after them haoles sunk so low as t'hire _poachers_ t'kill 'im. He stood his ground."  
The younger boy bent over and plucked a dandelion puff from a clump of weeds by the base of an excavator.  
"In the end... he won. But- and when you meet him you'll see what I mean- he quite literally bears the scars of how humans mistreated him and his meadow." He paused and then corrects himself, " _Our_ meadow."  
He rolled the stem between his forefinger and thumb.  
"So they've delayed construction. It will remain that way as long as the Totem's still standin'. But... he's very old, Guzma. It's only a matter of time before the last of ha leaves his body. And when that time comes" -he presses his dark lips together lightly and gently blows, scattering the many little seeds and leaving the stem bare- " _they_ will return. And the meadow" -he lets the empty stem fall between his fingers as he turns to gaze at Guzma with ocean blue eyes- "will be gone."

Guzma stared back, brows tightly knit as the information began to sink in.  
There's plenty of things he wants to say, plenty of things he wants to scream. Instead, he steels himself and only quietly, sadly murmurs, "S'not fair..."

"Life ain't fair," he replied, "but you probably know that better than anyone, yeah?"  
He walked over and placed his hand on the taller boy's shoulder.  
"Look... I know this trial has been hell for you... I just felt like you should know..."  
He purses his full, dark lips as he tries to find the right words.  
"It might not be my place t'say but... if it's any consolation, I think that the Totem himself has just as much trouble with the trial as you do. Maybe more..."

After a moment in deep thought, Guzma took the boy's face in his hands and pressed their foreheads together.

"Mahalo, my brother."

"O-oh! Y-yeah! Sure!" the dark haired boy stammered, a little too loudly for how close they were to one another.

Guzma pulled away, patted his back, and said, "I think I'll cut my losses for today. Wanna walk with me to the docks?"

He nodded eagerly and the two finally left the old, rusting equipment behind.

~~~

As they walked, they talked about more casual subjects. School... hobbies... that sort of stuff. Turns out, they both love surfing. Kalani's dad's actually a master surfboard craftsman and is teaching him how to make them too! He said he'll make Guzma a custom board once he gets good enough. In response, he joked and said he better give him a 'friends and family' discount. 'Lani mumbled something about it being free for cute guys. The other simply laughed before informing him that that is an _incredibly_ terrible business model.

As they near their destination, Guzma said, "I think I'll try again in a week or two..."

"Don't push yourself. Ya in a rush or somethin'?"

"Actually," Guzma began, rubbing his arm and blushing a bit, "I kinda screwed up. I told my friends that I already completed Akala's grand trial and now they keep buggin' me to start in Ula' ula with 'em."

"What'd ya go and do dat for, ya lolo," the captain chided.

"I didn't mean too! Like... ok..." -he runs his fingers through his hair- "for a long time it didn't matter 'cuz there weren't no kahuna there anyways. But now they got some stand in so the game's back on."

Kalani nodded.

"And a couple months ago, Mo finally beat the fire trial- he was having trouble with it so we helped him catch a diglett, then we got lost in the tunnels after gettin' chased by a swarm of zubats... but that's a whole 'nothuh story- and we started chattin' 'bout the different trials and they mentioned how _easy_ the Fairy trial was and how they beat it on their first tries and then they turned to _me_ and _I_ panicked and-"

"Wait wait wait wait wait!" the dark haired boy interrupted, waving his hands and shaking his head.  
"You's talkin' 'bout Molayne and Kukui, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Molayne? Scrawny kid? Looks a lil hapa?"

"Uh huh...?"

"And Kukui? Dark eyes? Glasses? Is always wrestling his shirt off in front of school after the last bell?"

Guzma snorted and said, "Yeah. That's them. What about 'em?"

Kalani stopped dead in his tracks.  
He threw his head back and howled in a genuine, fully-belly guffaw that, despite cracking every so often, sent a shiver down Guzma's spine. This also revealed a possible reason the younger kid never smiles with his teeth:  
Boy's got fangs like a freaking sharpedo!

_They're actually kinda cute..._

"Great Tapu Lele, dose nui fakers!"2 he finally managed to get out as his laughter subsided, "Neithuh of dem beat m'trial on te first try!"

"What?!"  
Guzma was dumbfounded.  
They _lied_ to him!? His best friends! How could they do that!? Well... he supposes he has no room to talk considering he lied to them too...  
But come on!!!  
"How many-"

Kalani held up his index and middle fingers and said, "Twice for Mo."

"And Kukui?"

He watched as 'Lani's last two fingers and thumb uncurled from his fist.

"Five."

" _No **freakin'** way!_"  
Guzma clasped his hands onto the other's shoulders, beamed down at him, and said, "Kalani, my man, I could freakin' kiss you right now!"

"R-really?"

Much to the poor captain's disappointment, Guzma only picked him up and spun him around in a bone crushing hug.

He set him down and then immediately took off in the direction of port as he called over his shoulder, "Just watch 'Lani! Next time, I'mma buss yo trial up! Dat's a promise!"3

And like that, Guzma was out of sight, leaving the Trial Captain alone to try and still his frantically beating heart.

~~~

The white haired boy slid his shades down over his eyes as he nestles himself lazily against the door frame of the familiar Iki Town cottage.  
He took a moment to nonchalantly swipe his bangs away from his face and then rapped his knuckles against the wooden door.

It was a bit of a blow to his pride to learn his friends had lied to him but, at least now, he doesn't feel so bad about admitting how much trouble he's had with the trial. Plus, if he tells the truth, then he can ask them for advice on how they managed to get through it.

That will, of course, have to wait until _after_ Guzma has milked this thing for all it's worth.

When the door finally opened, Guzma's lips pulled back into a mischievous grin.

"Hey G., wassup?" the dark eyed boy greeted him in his typically cheery tone and a wide grin that reached his eyes.

Guzma reached over and tilted Kukui's face up slightly by placing two fingers lightly under his chin.

He peered at him over his shades, raised his eyebrow, and growled low (well... as low as he could manage with his barely teenaged voice), "Hey there handsome. Care for a chin wag?"

Kukui looked flustered for a split second but quickly recomposed himself and narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the taller boy.

"What are you..."

Guzma began to move forward, forcing Kukui to back up further into the house. Once inside, he delicately shut the door behind him without breaking eye contact.

"A lil pidgey told me somethin'," he crooned, reaching out and ghosting his fingertips starting at Kukui's bare shoulders (because of-freaking-course he's not wearing a shirt) down his forearms and back up, "somethin' _very_ interesting..."

"Guzma..." the boy murmured shyly as the other reached around and began lightly dragging his nails in obscure patterns along his back, "you're giving me chicken skin..."

The needy tone in his voice told Guzma that it was simply a statement of fact and not a plea for him to stop.

He stepped around him in a singular, fluid motion, slinging a pale arm around his friend's russet brown waist and pulling him flush against himself. He continues lightly traipsing about with the fingers of his free hand, but now along Kukui's chest and stomach.

He rested his chin on the shorter's shoulder and growled directly into his ear, "Ya haven't been entirely honest with me... have ya, hoalola?"

Guzma could feel the boy stiffen a little as he sputtered, "I-I d-dunno wh-"  
He cut himself off with an adorable squeak as Guzma's nails accidentally grazed a particularly sensitive spot on his torso.

The white haired boy chuckled impishly. Reeling himself in for a moment, he continued in a much more casual tone of voice, "I gotta say K.K., I'm feelin' a lil bit betrayed. After all dat talk 'bout you acin' the Fairy trial? I can't believe you'd big yaself up like dat in front of me. How couldja?"  
He made sure to make his voice crack to sound as hurt as possible on that last line.

"O-oh man! Guzma, I'm so sorry!"

"Apologizin' ain't gon' make the pain go away..."  
He pulled away with a melodramatic sniffle, leaving Kukui to shiver from the sudden loss of warmth at his back.

"C'mon G.! Don't be like that!" he pleaded, his dark eyes wide with worry, "Ain't there _anything_ I can do to make it up t'ya?"

"Well..." he began, arms crossed and still turned away from Kukui. He pushed his glasses up onto the top of his head and mumbled, "There is... _one_ thing you could do..."

"Of course, my brother! What is it? Anything for you!"

"I want you to-"

Next thing Kukui knew, he was being pressed against the ground, Guzma's hand on his shoulder. He was looking down at him with shining, silver eyes like a sableye and a shit eating grin that immediately told Kukui that he has made a grave miscalculation.

" _ **Say Drampa**_ ** **"****

Kukui howled and hollered as he squirms and struggles beneath the taller boy. Guzma just leans in more, using his body weight to keep him immobilized.

The dark haired boy isn't nearly as ticklish as Guzma. Unfortunately, the pale boy knows his weak point: he had slid his hand just up the hem of the other's shorts and was mercilessly tickling his inner thigh.

"Say it! Say Drampa!"

"You asshole! I * _wheeze_ * can't believe * _giggle_ * I fell for that!"

"I can. You're quite gullible," he contended.

Kukui tried to retaliate but Guzma swiftly snatched up his friend's hands, pinning them above his head.

He smirked down at him.

He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy taking advantage of how much he's grown over these past few months. Like how he can wrap one hand (almost) completely around _both_ of Kukui's wrists. He's not sure why, but he likes that thought and the fact he can make the boy laugh and squirm and beg beneath him.

It makes him feel powerful... makes him feel strong...  
It makes him feel... _good_.

"Ok! Ok! Drampadrampadrampa! I give! Just make it stop!" Kukui finally conceded, a tear escaping the corner of his eye.

Guzma released him. He placed his forearms on the ground on either side of Kukui's head and pushed himself up so he wasn't crushing the smaller boy as much.  
As the last of his laughter abated, Guzma couldn't help but notice he didn't bother moving his hands from where he had left them up above his head.

Kukui blinked slowly up at him with his obsidian eyes as his face softened and he panted to catch his breath.  
He was a sight to behold... coal black hair splayed out around his head and framed by both his own biceps Guzma's forearms...  
The way he looked up at him with hooded eyes and his mouth slightly ajar had Guzma's blood boiling in a pleasant, but unfamiliar way. And those eyes...

_Damnit! What is it about those Arc-damn eyes that make me feel so freakin'..._

Is ' _hungry_ ' the right word? No...  
Is there a word that means 'not hungry at all while simultaneously starving to death'?  
_That's_ the word he would want to use.

Kukui's lips upturned into a small, shy smile that instantly had those feelings in Guzma's belly sinking down into something softer... more familiar... more innocent.

He closed the gap between them, kissing him gently with great care.

When they parted, he rested their foreheads together and whispered, "You're so beautiful."

Guzma felt fingers tangle into his hair and he was led back down into another kiss. This time deeper... more heated.  
As they wrestled their tongues and licked greedily into each other's mouths, Guzma lightly grabs Kukui's bottom lip between his teeth and tugs softly.

The boy let out a small whine that had Guzma smiling proudly against his lips.

One of the white haired boy's favorite pastimes lately has been discovering things he can do to make his friend make super cute noises.  
Turns out... there is a LOT of things.

Guzma pulled off, chuckling when he realized Kukui leaned up to chase the kiss. He gave him a quick peck on the lips for his trouble and then bowed down to mouth at his collarbone.  
The dark eyed boy giggled at the sensation of light kisses and gentle laps on his skin. He gasped and mewled when Guzma suddenly pressed his lips down and sucked in.

 _Now, that's a cute noise,_ he mused to himself.

As he did it again in a different spot, Kukui whimpered, "G... you're gonna leave marks..."

Guzma looked up and nuzzled their noses together; the loving gesture was a stark contrast to how he gibed, "Oh boo hoo, poor K.K.'s gon' have t'wear a shirt tomorrow."

Then the front door opened.

"Kukui, how many times I gotta tell ya to keep the door locked when I'm not ho-"

They both froze at the sight of the person standing in the doorway. He's a slim, dark skinned man with short twists, a sharp jaw, and a dark soul patch. He has on a long, white lab coat and is now raising his eyebrow at the two boys on the floor.

"Hi Dad," Kukui said with a small chuckle.

The man sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.  
"Really guys? Again?"  
His voice sounded tired but there was no malice in it.  
"Didja finish your homework?"

"Yessir..."

"Ok then," he said casually with a shrug as he walked past the boys. He slipped off his coat and tossed it onto one of the kitchen chairs. He turned to a mirror hung on the wall a few feet away from them as he undid his tie.  
"Ya wanna stay for dinner Guzma? I don't really feel like cookin'... I'm thinkin' I'll order us a pizza, yeah?"

Keep in mind that they're still lying on the ground. Mainly because Guzma is completely frozen like a deerling in the headlights. He's staring into nothing and his whole body's shaking slightly. Kukui would've gotten up by now but he isn't strong enough to push the other off.

When the boy doesn't answer, Kukui knees him in the stomach.

" _Oof!_ Umm... Y-yes Prof-fessor, th-that sounds f-fine! Th-thank you!"

"Woo!" he cheers enthusiastically. Then he adds, "And I keep tellin' ya you can call me unko. Hell, at this point, you could even call me dad if ya really wanted to"-he looked down at his son and winked-"Eh, Kukui?"

" _Daaaad..._ " the boy groaned in embarrassment.

The man laughed and began to walk down the hallway.

"Alrighty! I'mma take a shower and then I'll go git da grinds. You kids have fun! Just keep your pants on..."

" _MAKUAKĀNE!!!_ "

The man just shrugged innocently as he continued into the master bedroom.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Guzma collapsed limply onto the smaller boy.

Kukui chuckled and wrapped his arms around him, petting the back of his fluffy head.  
"You ok?" he choked out, his voice a tad restricted with his lungs being crushed.

Guzma didn't say anything; he just nodded his head into the crook of the other's neck.

"That's good."  
They lied there for another minute and then he asked (voice still raspy from the lack of oxygen), "You wanna go stick ya head in the freezer for a bit?"

Guzma contemplated for a moment, then let out a long, shaky, forlorned sigh.

He nodded again.

**Author's Note:**

>  **Footnotes:**  
>  **1.** Hula kāne: male specific hula dancing. Is divided into modern (auana) and traditional (kahiko) styles.  
>  **2.** Nui: (Hawaiian) Means big, large, great, plentiful... that kind of stuff.  
>  **3.** Buss up, buss you up: (Pidgin/Creole) kind of like saying you're gonna mess someone up or fuck 'em up. So, basically, to fight and win. (In a different context it can mean drunk or high)
> 
>  **Other Notes:**  
>  •Akala Meadow: So, all the islands have meadows corresponding to their color (each island name is a color of ya didn't know). And in the meadows is where you get that specific oricorio nectar.  
> This is all true except for Akala. There's no meadow so you instead get the nectar from the small garden in the middle of the plaza by Royal Avenue.  
> When I first noticed this, I immediately assumed that it meant that Royal Avenue was formerly the Meadow. (Yes, I'm aware the more logical explanation is just that they didn't feel like squeezing another route onto the island but shut up this is my sleep over and _I_ get to choose the head canons!)
> 
>  ***Kicks down door*** Guys! Holy FUCK! I'm back!  
> For those of you who don't know, I recently had surgery on my dominant wrist, so typing has been a much slower process for me. I'm still not a hundred percent so I apologise if it takes longer to update than y'all are use to.
> 
> Thought it felt like time for anothuh trip down memory lane. I love these boys so much! Can ya tell? Lol  
> And yes, Guzma was always a giant, dense dork.  
> He'll figure stuff out... eventually...
> 
> Tell me what ya think if you're feelin' generous.🤙
> 
> See y'all next time!  
>  **Links:**  
> [Tumblr page for art & updates ](http://zz-chikorita.tumblr.com)  
> [Master list of terminology](https://zz-chikorita.tumblr.com/post/615394532986650624/master-list-of-terminology-jolly-rogers)  
> [HCs and Background Info](https://zz-chikorita.tumblr.com/post/615439164403597312/hcs-and-background-info-jolly-rogers)  
> [References and Resources](https://zz-chikorita.tumblr.com/post/615802247274708992/note-so-i-originally-made-this-post-just-to)
> 
>  **Bonus:**  
>  Here's some songs I was vibin' with while writing this section ~~Yes I'm dating myself with these shut up~~  
> [I'm Still Standing|Elton John](https://youtu.be/ZHwVBirqD2s)  
> [Play the Game|Queen](https://youtu.be/Lr2iDWQSwsI)  
> [Earth Song|Michael Jackson](https://youtu.be/XAi3VTSdTxU)  
> [Wanna Be|B.B. King & Eric Clapton](https://youtu.be/eaoSNZftzpE)  
> [Over and Over|Nelly ft. Tim McGraw](https://youtu.be/n3htOCjafTc)  
> [P.D.A.|John Legend](https://youtu.be/P13vAUj74cM)


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